The present invention relates to a deodorizing absorbent sheet suited to use as an absorbent member of an absorbent article, an underlay of a pet""s toilet, and the like.
Known deodorizing absorbent sheets of this type include the absorbent member of a sanitary napkin that comprises an absorbent polymer sandwiched by two pieces of absorbent paper containing activated carbon as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 142256/82; and a deodorizing sheet obtained by scattering activated carbon between sheets of paper coated with a hot-melt adhesive and uniting them into one body as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 281042/96.
In the absorbent member having the above-mentioned structure, a layer containing the absorbent polymer where liquid is to be absorbed and held is separate from a layer containing the activated carbon serving for deodorization. Therefore, it is only indirectly that the deodorizing effect is exerted on the liquid absorbed and held so that the efficiency of deodorization is unsatisfactory. In order to obtain a sufficient deodorizing effect, a large quantity of a deodorizer, such as activated carbon, would be required, which might fall off during use of the napkin.
Further, the layer containing the absorbent polymer of the absorbent member disclosed in the above publication has a structure in which the absorbent polymer particles are merely sandwiched between two sheets of absorbent paper. Therefore, an increased amount of the absorbent polymer for increasing the absorption efficiency would also fall off during use of the napkin.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a deodorizing absorbent sheet having a high deodorizing function and a high absorbing function.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a deodorizing absorbent sheet which can contain increased amounts of a deodorizer and an absorbent polymer without involving a fear of their falling off.
The inventors of the invention have found that the above objects can be accomplished by embedding a deodorizer and an absorbent polymer in a mixed state in the inside of a fiber web and fixing the deodorizer by making use of the tack of the absorbent polymer.
The present invention provides a deodorizing absorbent sheet having a water-insoluble deodorizer and an absorbent polymer which are embedded in a fiber web, in which the absorbent polymer is fixed to the fibers making up the fiber web, and the deodorizer is fixed inside the fiber web via the absorbent polymer, the deodorizer and the absorbent polymer being substantially absent on the surface of the sheet.
The present invention also provide a preferred process for producing the above-described deodorizing absorbent sheet comprising the steps of scattering the absorbent polymer and the deodorizer on a wet lower fiber sheet either simultaneously or successively in any order, overlaying an upper fiber sheet thereon, and uniting the upper and lower fiber sheets into a unitary body by drying.